Annals of surgery
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Several population-based studies have shown that the total number of surgically removed lymph nodes is independently associated with overall and disease-free survival in a variety of gastrointestinal cancers. In this retrospective study, the impact of total nodal count on overall survival in esophageal cancer was examined using a single institution surgical database. ⋯ These data support the findings from population based studies in esophageal cancer and other gastrointestinal tumors, suggesting that a higher nodal count favorably influences survival.
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To evaluate women's sexual function, self-esteem, body image, and health-related quality of life after colorectal surgery. ⋯ Surgical treatment of colorectal diseases leads to improvement in global quality of life. There is, however, a significant decline in sexual function postoperatively. Preoperative counseling is desired by most of the patients.
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To identify predictive risk factors for intra- and postoperative complications in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery. ⋯ This large single center study provides the first evidence of the significance of predictive risk factors for intra- and postoperative complications in laparoscopic colorectal surgery.
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To prospectively evaluate and accurately describe the rate and type of discrepancies encountered in the surgical count. ⋯ One in 8 surgical cases involves an intraoperative discrepancy in the count. The majority of these discrepancies detect unaccounted-for sponges and instruments, which represent potential RSI. Thus, despite the recognized limitations of manual surgical counts, discrepancies should always prompt a thorough search and reconciliation process and never be ignored.
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This is a phase II, single-center, single-arm study of patients with resectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas who were treated with adjuvant interferon-based chemoradiation followed by gemcitabine. The primary end point was 2-year overall survival, with secondary endpoints being 2-year disease-free survival, and the frequency of grade 3 or 4 toxicity. ⋯ This phase II trial demonstrated increased patient survival compared with historical controls, and equivalent survival compared with the regimen combining interferon-alpha with 5-fluorouracil-based chemoradiation. Despite these encouraging results, significant concerns regarding dose- and treatment-limiting toxicities remain.